KINGSPORT, Tenn.- The Ave Maria University men's basketball team closed their stay at The Show in Kingsport, Tennessee in emphatic fashion with a 94-54 victory over the Mighty Oaks of Oakland City University. The Gyrenes led from start to finish in their biggest blowout victory of the season. The win allowed AMU to finish unbeaten at The Show, and move to 8-2 on the season.
It didn't take long for the Gyrenes to assert their will on Oakland City. In the first seven minutes of the game, Ave Maria raced out to a 14-3 lead, led by six points each from Daryl Lewis and Lucas Uzdavinis. AMU continued to dominate throughout the first half, leading by as much as 19 points, which included the halftime score of 44-25. The Gyrenes took a 18-7 lead on a Matt Gillis layup with 11:59 on the clock, and never again saw their lead dip into single digits.
The Gyrenes' first half lead was powered by Lewis, who made eight of his ten shots and scored 17 points in the opening 20 minutes. As a team, Ave Maria shot 52.9 percent from the field, and forced eleven turnovers from the Mighty Oaks. The Oaks shot a respectable 42.9 percent from the field in the first half, but missed all seven of their three-pointers to stay a distance behind AMU.
Sunday's blowout continued in the second half, which saw the Gyrenes outscore Oakland City 50-29. Ave Maria was even hotter from the field, making 22 of 35 shots, good for a 62.9 percent mark. AMU's lead reached its apex at 45 points, 94-49, following a three-pointer from Uzdavinis with under a minute to play before OCU scored the game's final five points to account for the final score.
Overshadowed by AMU's 94-point effort, the Gyrenes had one of their best defensive performances of the season to date. Oakland City was forced into 21 turnovers, which turned into 27 points for Ave Maria. The Gyrenes also pounded the Mighty Oaks down low, outscoring Oakland City by a 64-36 margin in the paint. In total, the Gyrenes shot 58 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three-point territory.
Powered by his 17-point first half, Daryl Lewis was Ave Maria's leading scorer with 21 points. He led a quartet of Gyrenes in double figures, which included Lucas Uzdavinis (14), Eric Klekas (13), and Matt Gillis (10). Uzdavinis knocked down four three-pointers in his first appearance of the season, while the team's leading rebounder was Klajd Kiri, who pulled down seven.
Ave Maria returns to the Sunshine State with an 8-2 record, following a win in what is currently scheduled as AMU's final game outside the state of Florida. The Gyrenes will play their first home game since November 11 on Thursday evening, when Ave Maria faces the University of Fort Lauderdale for the first time ever. Tipoff at Donahue Gym is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
